"Rain amaranth beads, smoky onion jasper tip".
This poem was written by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, describing the amaranth after the rain, which is full and round like a pearl, making people salivate.
As spring fades away, approaching the beginning of summer, it's time to eat amaranth again.
Amaranth is also known as spiny amaranth, wild amaranth, wild goose red, and is also called "sweat vegetable" in dialect, which enjoys the reputation of "longevity vegetable" and "blood tonic vegetable" among the people, and is widely planted and eaten.
As the saying goes: "Amaranth in June is an egg, and in July, gold is not exchanged". Although it is not yet June or July, summer is quietly approaching, and it is the golden season to eat amaranth.
Regarding the origin of the name of amaranth, the Northern Song Dynasty scholar Lu Dian's explanation in "Pi Ya": "The stems and leaves are tall and visible", because its plants are very eye-catching in the weeds, so people take the word "see" as the name and call it "amaranth".
And because amaranth is mostly born in the wilderness, it also adds a bit of mystery to it.
Legend has it that during the Southern Song Dynasty, there was a Sichuan literati who claimed to have found a place called "Red Amaranth Mountain" in ancient books, where immortals planted red amaranth, so he believed that red amaranth was a fairy grass and loved to eat amaranth all his life.
This is a long-lived dish
Clear away heat and detoxify, nourish blood and replenish calcium, and benefit two stools
I remember when I was a child, when summer was approaching, amaranth was always indispensable on the table at home, whether it was scrambled eggs or minced garlic, which made Atractylodes have an endless aftertaste.
When he grew up, Baizhu discovered that these delicious amaranth dishes also contained many benefits.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that amaranth
Clears away heat and detoxifies
In the gradually hot summer, the human body is prone to symptoms such as fire, dry mouth, red eyes, sore throat, etc., which are all manifestations of heat poison raging in the body.
At this time, eating amaranth in moderation can effectively remove heat toxins from the body and relieve these uncomfortable symptoms.
Not only that, amaranth also helps regulate metabolism, helps the body to flush out waste and toxins in a timely manner, and keeps the body clean and healthy.
Nourish blood and replenish calcium
Amaranth is rich in iron and is one of the main ingredients for blood nourishment. Moderate consumption of amaranth can replenish iron in the body and promote the production of red blood cells, thereby improving the oxygen content and transportation capacity of the blood, and achieving the effect of nourishing blood.
At the same time, amaranth is also rich in calcium that is easily absorbed by the human body, and moderate consumption is conducive to enhancing the toughness and stability of bones, preventing and improving bone problems such as osteoporosis.
Therefore, mainland folk often regard amaranth and purslane as the best food for people with fractures and pregnant women.
Tongli two poops
Amaranth is classified into the large intestine and small intestine meridians, which has the effect of diuresis and dehumidification. It can effectively enhance the urinary function of the kidneys and help the body to excrete excess water and salt, thereby improving edema, poor urination and other problems.
Secondly, amaranth is also the protagonist of the weight loss table, and regular food can lose weight and lighten the body, promote intestinal peristalsis, and prevent constipation.
However, it is important to note that amaranth is not suitable for all people. For people with a weak spleen and stomach, amaranth is not suitable for consumption.
For those who are prone to cold and diarrhea, they should also avoid excessive intake of amaranth to avoid causing discomfort to the body.
How to choose red and green
At present, there are two kinds of common amaranth on the market, green amaranth and red leaf amaranth, some friends may have doubts, which one is better?
From the appearance, red amaranth and green amaranth are easy to distinguish. The petioles of red amaranth are purplish-red, and the edges of the leaves remain a fresh green color, giving them a very vivid overall look.
Comparatively speaking, the petioles of green amaranth are green, and the leaf color is cyan, and the overall look is relatively fresh and natural.
From the perspective of nutritional efficacy, green leafy amaranth will be more beneficial to bone health, while red leaf amaranth has a better antioxidant effect, but it should be noted that when washing red leaf amaranth, you should avoid soaking for a long time and scrubbing vigorously.
In terms of taste, red amaranth and green amaranth have their own characteristics. The mesophyll of red amaranth is soft and glutinous, with a delicate texture and delicious taste, which is suitable for making soups or stir-fries.
The mesophyll of green amaranth is firmer, crispy, sweeter and more delicious, suitable for stir-frying or making cold dishes.
Therefore, when choosing amaranth, you can choose the most suitable variety according to your personal taste and needs.
Amaranth is a healthy and delicious combination
Amaranth contains a certain amount of oxalic acid, a natural organic acid that interferes with the body's absorption of calcium, so blanching amaranth before eating it can not only improve the taste of amaranth, but also improve its nutritional value.
If you buy fresh amaranth in the supermarket, you might as well try these 2 recipes shared by Baizhu for everyone!
1. Stir-fry amaranth
Ingredients: 500g amaranth, 2 garlic, appropriate amount of salt.
Method: (1) Remove the old stems of the amaranth and wash it, blanch it slightly and then remove it for later use.
(2) Put a little cooking oil in the pot, add minced garlic and amaranth, stir-fry until cooked, and add a little salt to taste.
This stir-fried amaranth dish not only has good color and flavor, but also has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, moisturizing the intestines and laxative, which is a rare healthy delicacy.
2. Amaranth tofu fish head soup
Ingredients: 600g amaranth, 2 pieces of tofu, 1 fish head (about 600g), appropriate amount of shredded ginger.
Method: (1) Wash the ingredients, blanch the amaranth and cut it into sections, cut the tofu into pieces, and remove the gills from the fish head for later use.
(2) Put a little oil in the pan, add ginger and fish head, and fry until slightly browned.
(3) Put 1.5L of water in the pot, add all the ingredients, bring to a boil over high heat, turn to low heat and continue to simmer for 30 minutes, add a little salt to taste.
Finally, I would like to remind everyone that amaranth has many tender leaves, thin and soft stems, and the storage period of amaranth is not long, so it is recommended to buy fresh food. If you find the article practical, you might as well share it with your relatives and friends and eat it together!